In order to stabilize photographic equipment or other instruments for the purpose of shooting or operation, a tripod is usually used to support the photographic equipment or instrument. Such tripod typically comprises three telescopic legs and an object stage at the top of the legs for supporting the photographic equipment or instrument. During use, each of the three telescopic legs is extended, locked to a desired length, and unfolded to a desired inclination relative to the object stage and then the bottom thereof is settled on the ground. Lastly, a photographic equipment or an instrument is fixed on the object stage such that shooting or operation of the photographic equipment of the instructed can be conducted.
Conventional tripods in the market are advertised for their reduced weight, ease of portability, although it is rather complicated and time consuming to unfold for use or to fold for storage. Taking a three-section tripod with three tubes in each leg for example, the connection of the three tubes of each leg requires two joints, and the whole tripod requires six joints. In order to adjust each leg to a specific length, one needs to operate and juggle with at least two joints at the same time so that the upper and lower tubes can be connected together at relative locations. In other words, the installation of a tripod needs operation of six joints and this is rather complicated and time consuming.
For easy installation, the joints of most tripods adopt a “fast lock system”. Two adjacent tubes may be locked by flipping a latch of the fast lock system. Once a “clap” sound is heard the system is locked with the relevant adjacent tubes located against each other. Nevertheless, for a three-section tripod, the legs can be locked to the desired length only after six “claps”, so the tripods adopting a “fast lock system” are still unable to achieve the effect of fast installation. If the tripod is a four-section tripod comprising four tubes in each leg, the above installation and operation will be even more complicated and more time consuming.
In case a “snap shot” is needed when a sudden event arises and unfolding of a tripod is needed right away, the above defects will become even more apparent.
When shooting or operation is completed or shooting or operation needs to be continued in another place, the tripod needs to be folded. This reverse operation is equally complicated and time consuming.
Further, a glide tack is connected to the bottom of each leg, to settle the tripod on the ground. However, in order to adapt to different sites, a tripod kit typically includes plastic glide tacks and metal glide tacks for use in different circumstances. When the tripod is to be settled on hard ground (e.g. made of wood or marble) and the tripod needs to be protected, plastic glide tacks are connected to the bottom of the tripod to provide cushioning. When the tripod is to be settled on soft ground (e.g. snowy or softy ground) and the glide tacks need to be inserted into the ground, metal glide tacks are connected to the bottom of the tripod. In conventional tripods, when change of the glide tack is required the original glide tacks must be removed and replaced by another type of glide tacks. This makes the installation of the tripod even more complicated.